“As they continue to grapple with the impact of increased payroll taxes, Americans will look to cut corners where they can, but will buy what their kids need,” said Matthew Shay, the retail group’s chief executive, in a statement.

Parents shopping for school-age children are getting an early start, with 23.9 percent of families saying they began scouring the racks and nosing through shelves by early July. That’s the highest percentage ever of consumers launching their back-to-school preparations about two months before classes begin.

The ratio of early birds on the college shopping circuit also hit a record, with 29.8 percent looking for deals now, according to the report.

More than a third of parents say they plan to do more comparative shopping online. Nearly 4 in 10 college shoppers say they’ll hit the Internet for their retail needs.